Pakistan, Italy ink Rs6.3bn deal to boost agricultural skills

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Italy on Monday signed a concessional loan agreement worth approximately Rs6.3 billion to strengthen agricultural skills development and vocational education under Pakistan's Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) National Reform Programme.

The agreement was signed by Economic Affairs Secretary Muhammad Humair Karim and Italian Ambassador Marilina Armellin in the presence of senior officials from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, and provincial agriculture departments.

The funding will support the Professional Capacity Building and Extension in Agriculture project, which aims to modernise Pakistan's TVET system with a particular focus on the agriculture sector by enhancing technical skills, improving certification standards and promoting innovation across agricultural value chains.

The 42-month initiative is designed to build the capacity of farmers, extension workers, trainers and other stakeholders through demand-driven training programmes to improve productivity, encourage sustainable farming practices and enhance rural livelihoods.

Special emphasis will be placed on developing high-value crops and strengthening agro-food value chains. The project will establish dedicated training facilities for horticulture production, processing and marketing while promoting product diversification and value addition.

Training and technical assistance will focus on crops including olives, pistachios, dates, mushrooms, cherries, grapes, peaches and almonds, leveraging Italy's expertise in modern agricultural practices alongside Pakistan's vast farming potential.

The programme will offer 720 training courses benefiting an estimated 18,398 participants, including farmers, women, youth and trainers. It also includes the development of 11 standardised training curricula.

Infrastructure development under the project will include 12 model orchards and nurseries, eight eco-villages equipped with climate-resilient technologies, five agro-food processing units, and two National Centres of Excellence for citrus and date crops in Sargodha and Turbat.

The project will be implemented by the Pakistan Oilseed Department in collaboration with provincial agriculture departments. It is expected to generate rural employment, increase farmers' incomes, reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen farmer cooperatives and improve the competitiveness of Pakistan's agriculture sector.

According to a press release, the agreement reflects the longstanding development partnership between Pakistan and Italy and reaffirms both countries' commitment to sustainable agriculture, skills development and inclusive economic growth through enhanced bilateral cooperation.